Week 16 NFL playoff clinching scenarios: Cowboys can wrap up NFC East, Ravens have simple path to home field
There are a number of playoff implications heading into Week 16
We're at the final stretch of the regular season as there are only two weeks remaining before the race to Super Bowl LIV officially begins. In Week 15, we saw a number of teams punch their ticket to the playoffs with the Rams loss to the Cowboys.
In the AFC, the Ravens (AFC North), Chiefs (AFC West), Bills (playoff berth) and Patriots (playoff berth) have ensured that they'll play beyond Week 17. Meanwhile, the Saints (NFC South), Packers (playoff berth), 49ers (playoff berth) and Seahawks (playoff berth) are all heading to the postseason. While those clubs already have a spot locked in, they'll be looking for even better seeding in the remaining weeks.
In Week 16 in particular, home-field advantage and division titles are still to be had. Below, you can see every single playoff-clinching scenario heading into this weekend:
Ravens clinching scenarios
Can clinch a first-round bye with:
- BAL win or tie OR
- KC loss or tie OR
- NE loss
Can clinch home-field advantage throughout AFC playoffs with:
- BAL win OR
- BAL tie + NE loss or tie OR
- KC loss or tie + NE loss
The Ravens already have the AFC North locked up, but a win on Sunday can ensure that the road to the Super Bowl goes through Baltimore. All Lamar Jackson's club needs to do on Sunday is beat the Browns in Cleveland and not only will the Ravens clinch a first-round bye, but they will have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. It should be noted that the Browns did hand the Ravens a 40-25 loss back in Week 4, but it seems hard to imagine that lightning will strike twice.
Patriots clinching scenarios
Clinched AFC East
Texans clinching scenarios
Clinched AFC South
Packers clinching scenarios
Can clinch NFC North with:
- GB win or tie
For Green Bay, if it beats the Vikings in Minnesota on Monday Night Football, it wins the NFC North. That would not only give the Packers a sizable lead in the division, but it'd also secure the head-to-head tiebreaker after also beating them in Week 2.
Cowboys clinching scenarios
Can clinch NFC East with:
- DAL win
The NFC East could come down the Sunday showdown in Philadelphia. The Eagles are clinging on to their playoff hopes, but if the Cowboys walk into Lincoln Financial Field and get a win, the division is theirs. After throttling the Rams 44-21 in Dallas last week, it's hard to imagine the Cowboys slowing down.
Vikings clinching scenarios
Can clinch playoff berth with:
- MIN win or tie OR
- LAR loss or tie
Minnesota can't snatch the division away from the Packers just yet, but if it beats Green Bay at home Monday night, it will be heading to the playoffs. Even if the Vikings fall to the Packers, as long as the Rams lose to the 49ers in San Francisco, they'll have a postseason spot. The Vikings will also know what's at stake way before their prime-time matchup on Monday as Los Angeles plays on Saturday night.
















